Wolf's Domain
by Wings of Wind
Summary: Sakura went to her great-grandfather's house in the countryside for the summer holiday. All is well till she got lost in a path in the forest nearby, dubbed the Wolf's Domain, and later found herself caught in between the so-called reality, and what she thinks is real.
1. The Path in the Forest

**Wolf's Domain**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own CCS. Everything rightfully belongs to CLAMP.**_

**A/n: This is originally intended as a oneshot, but it kinda spawned its way to a bit more than that. So I figure that this will be up until three chapters. There's a bit of OOC-ness floating around, but not much. Enough with my ramblings, and back to the story!**

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_**The Path in The Forest**_

Sakura woke up from her doze in the train, rubbing the sleepiness away from her eyes as she stretched a bit. She was on her way to the countryside, as her great-grandfather, Masaki Amamiya invited her there, to his second summer house. After the reconciling of her great-grandfather and her father, Sakura and her family had been visiting him often, glad to be the companion of her great-grandfather. Masaki had always been delighted with the visits as well, as being alone in a big mansion can be pretty lonely, he said, just before he bought a small but comfortable summer house near the countryside, which is where Sakura is heading to at the moment.

She checked the small basket she brought with her. It was packed with picnic assortments, made and arranged beautifully by her father, Fujitaka Kinomoto, along with Sakura's brother, Touya. The both of them had been unable to come due to some business they have to attend to, so Sakura had gone alone instead. Touya had been against it initially, but relented when she said she'd be okay. She is a grown up fifteen year old now, insisted Sakura, and with the approval of Fujitaka, Touya agreed in the end. "Just be sure to take care of yourself there. There's a lot of those spirits and ghosts you're afraid of so much back at the countryside." said Touya before she boarded the train, earning him a foot-stamp from Sakura. "Stop trying to scare me, Touya!" had been her reply. Sakura slightly chuckled at the thought.

The auburn haired beauty looked out of the window, as the scenery changes. Mountains and fields filled her vision, and she reveled at the sight. She loves the countryside. The breeze sending wafts of the sweet smelling flowers nearby, the chirp of the birds merrily singing, the cool mountain breeze dancing around her, Sakura couldn't possibly ask for more.

The train stopped as she arrived at her destination, and sure enough, her great-grandfather is there, waiting for her, with his driver in tow. Sakura smiled happily as she waved towards him from the distance, as her great-grandfather beamed at her.

"Jii-chan!" she exclaimed happily as she hugged him, "Sorry I'm late… I woke up late this morning…" said Sakura with a slightly nervous grin.

"It's okay. I'd wait as long as I could if it meant to see my lovely Sakura-chan." He said as he hugged her back warmly. "Touya and Fujitaka isn't coming today, are they?"

Sakura shook her head as they walked to the car. "No, I'm afraid they can't make it. Touya had some university stuff to settle, and so does Dad. They're sorry they can't come though, so they made this as a token of apology," she said as she gestured to the basket she was carrying.

"It's a shame they couldn't come, but I suppose it can't be helped then. The lunch looks wonderful though." said Masaki with a smile as they got into the car.

"They taste good too!" said Sakura with a slight giggle. "Demo ne, jii-chan… I thought I told you not to overexert yourself. You could've just send Akio-san to pick me up, and we can meet at the house when I arrive."

"Now now Sakura-chan, you make me feel old when you say that. And I told you, I'm fine… besides, is it so wrong for a great-grandfather to want to greet his great-granddaughter? I'm lucky I'm alive long enough to get to see my great-grandchildren, so I don't see why I shouldn't devote my time for them." replied the old man with a smile.

"Mou, you're unfair, Jii-chan. You always win in arguments like this," pouted Sakura slightly.

"It's all experience, I suppose." He said with a chuckle as he patted her auburn hair. "Oh, we're here."

"Welcome again," said Masaki as he walked side by side with Sakura. A young man in his twenties with fair skin and long silver hair tied up neatly greeted them with a smile. "Sakura-san! Welcome back." He said with a smile as he took her things away.

"Nice to see you again, Yue-san," she said with an equal smile. She's quite fond of the older guy, him reminding her of her brother's best friend, (and her used-to-be crush) Yukito Tsukishiro. Yue is a native from the area, apparently an orphan whom Masaki 'adopted' and helped out a lot. While Yue owes a lot to Masaki, the latter prefers to have a father-son relationship rather than making it clear that Yue is indebted to Masaki. Grateful for his generosity, Yue had opted to stay with him and take care of him while he's here.

"Your stuff is all up there, Sakura-san. Oh and come to the living room if you're hungry, I got some chilled watermelons we can eat together." He said as he led her to her room, then made his way to the kitchen.

Fifteen minutes later, the three of them are chatting away merrily, helping themselves with slices of watermelon prepared by Yue. "Mm… there's nothing like a cool watermelon in the summer." exclaimed Sakura happily.

"I'm glad you like it," replied Masaki as he finished his second helping. "So, what's been going on at your end, Sakura-chan?"

"Well… I'm doing fine in high school, Tomoyo-chan's always with me. She tends to be busy in holidays though, as she followed her mum to the company's business."

Masami chuckled slightly. "That seems like Sonomi-kun indeed. I'm sure she's happy to come along though."

"Un! She is. Oh and she even thought of introducing a fashion line someday." said Sakura with a giggle. "That's not impossible with Tomoyo, that's for sure."

"How about Fujitaka-san and Touya-san? Are they doing fine?" asked Yue.

"Dad's fine. He's with his archeology works, as always," smiled Sakura. "Touya's fine too, though he's a bit busy with university stuff, but he's as protective as ever." giggled Sakura again.

"I see, that's good then." replied Yue.

"Say, Yue-san…" started Sakura.

"Yes?"

"I saw a trail leading up into the forest near the mountain last time I got here. So, I was wondering, have you ever go up there?" she asked, tilting her head sideways slightly.

Yue's face changed a bit as the question is asked, but fortunately it went by unnoticed by Sakura and Masaki, so he composed himself back to normal.

"Yeah, I've been there." He said with a smile. "But people rarely venture there though." He said as he cleared up the dishes from the table, setting them aside for a bit.

"Really?" asked Sakura, eyes filled with curiosity. "But how come? It seemed peaceful enough for me."

"Ah, then you should learn to understand the proverb; don't judge a book by its cover. Not everything is as what they seemed, Sakura-san." smiled Yue as he picked up the dishes and went to the kitchen to wash them, dismissing the topic.

Sakura pouted slightly as she pondered on Yue's words. "But why would they be so?" she mumbled.

"Sakura-chan, don't worry that much about it. Perhaps Yue is just talking about the wild animals that lives in there. I sometimes heard wolves howling in the full moon too, you know." said Masaki good naturedly, trying to pacify his great-granddaughter.

"Hmm… then can I take a walk up there tomorrow, Jii-chan?" asked Sakura. "I'm sure the surroundings there are beautiful."

Yue came back to the two of them just in time to hear her idea. "I… wouldn't recommend you of doing that, Sakura-san. Like otou-sama said, there's wild animals lurking in there. Ghosts and spirits even.'

"M-Mou… Yue-san, you're just trying to scare me, aren't you? You're as bad as Touya." said Sakura, pouting slightly.

"I'm just telling you the truth, Sakura-san. Though if you want to take a look there, I can accompany you. I am familiar with the path anyway," he said with a smile.

Sakura shook her head in as she declined the offer. "It's okay, I can go there by myself. Can I, jii-chan?"

"Well… I would've rather if Yue is with you… but if you promise to come back safely and take care of yourself, then okay." replied Masaki.

Sakura grinned and hugged Masaki in glee. "Thanks Jii-chan."

**x.X.x W.O.W x.X.x**

The next day, Sakura got ready to go and take a walk at the place she mentioned yesterday. Donning a summer hat and a simple baby blue summer dress, she bid her goodbye to both Masaki and Yue cheerfully as she began walking, humming slightly.

She brought a bento with her, in a small backpack she brought along. She took her time in climbing up the path, partly not to tire herself too much, and partly because she wanted to take in the surrounding. Initially, she had half expected it to be scary, but while the sun is still up, the path looked lovely, cheery even. The birds are chirping merrily, and despite the fact that it is summer, she didn't really feel the heat, because she was sheltered under the tall trees, and a cool breeze is felt on her cheeks, bringing in the scent of summer.

She stopped at a riverbank, the river flowing beautifully as the water sparkled in the sun. She set her backpack down, and wash her face by the river, before she sat herself on one of the boulders near the riverbank. She took her bento out and began eating it, reveling in the peaceful atmosphere. She once saw a pair of squirrels playing on the trees at the other side of the river, and that made her laugh. But that was when she heard it.

A growl.

Startled, she hurriedly put away her bento and looked around, searching for the source of the sound. It was coming from a wolf, in the clump of trees that lined the area near the riverbank. It was a middle sized wolf with a brown coat, growling in a second then whimpering in the next.

The auburn haired girl drew a slight sigh of relief, seeing that the growl wasn't directed to her. Being the kind-hearted person she is, she stepped forward nearer to where the wolf is, trying to make out what is bothering the poor animal.

The wolf growled slightly at her when she came close to it, but whimpered when he tried to lift his right hind leg away, as it is stuck in a chain of vines, which just tightened around him the more he struggled.

Sakura saw the problem, and she could very well help, but she was still a bit afraid of the wolf. What if it bit her? Surely Masaki and Yue would be furious if she's injured. But she couldn't leave the poor thing just like that. So, she heaved in a deep calming breath, and edged closer to the wolf.

As she expected, the wolf growled again. "Now now, calm down. I'm trying to help you here, so don't move… please?" she said as gentle as she could, as her eyes scanned what she could use to cut away the veins. She is put at an ease when the wolf stayed silent, and she smiled as she found a sharp edged stone that she can use to tear away the veins. After a few tries, she succeeded in loosening the restriction that held the wolf, loose enough for the wolf to escape. She hurriedly stood up and backed away from the wolf, fearing that it might do her harm somehow.

Seeing that it is now free, the wolf tried pacing around , apparently uninjured. The brown wolf stared at the auburn haired girl, and started to make its way to her.

Sakura was taken aback, frightened even. Is the wolf going to bite her? Attack her? Her conscience screamed for her to run away, but she was stuck at the spot.

When the wolf arrived to where she stood, it lowered its head down for a bit, before nuzzling into her hands. Sakura is frozen for a bit, before she let out another sigh of relief. "You're welcome." She said with a slight giggle as she patted its head and smiled.

She made her way back to the riverbank, leaving the wolf, to continue eating her bento. She bent down near the river to wash her slightly dirty hand, before she returned to where her backpack is.

She was surprised to see the wolf sitting beside the boulder where she left her belongings, lying down, its eyes closed. Sakura merely smiled as she sat down near the wolf, ate the rest of her bento and leaned against the rock, feeling drowsy. It wasn't long till the auburn haired beauty settled into a nap beside her new companion, lulled by the cool breeze of the river.

**x.X.x.W.O.W.x.X.x.**

By the time Sakura woke up, it was near sunset. The sky had already formed the gold-like colour of near sunset, as the sun descended to give way for the moon. She looked to her left, expecting the wolf to be there, but it wasn't. Deciding that she is very late now, she hurriedly picked up her belongings and ran down the path she came from.

It only took her fifteen minutes to go up the path leading to the river, but the way home seems to be taking way longer than that. She began to panic as the sky began to darken, dusk will be over soon and nightfall will come. She looked right and left, hoping for some sort of clue or marks that she may have noticed earlier to get her way back home, but it was futile. She felt her tears flooding her eyes, blurring her vision.

She's lost.

She stopped and buried her face her hands as she cried. Her sobs echoed throughout the forest, making it more eerie for her.

She was startled when she heard a rustle, then a voice. "H-Hey. Why are you crying?" said the voice.

It was the sound of a guy. Yue-san? But his voice is deeper, so it can't be him. She rubbed her eyes as she turned to where the voice is.

Indeed, it was a guy, wearing a simple green yukata, and she guessed that he was around her age. He had tousled brown hair, and a pair of amber eyes to match, as they looked at her with worry. "Are… you okay? It's almost dark. You shouldn't be here alone." He said as he offered his hand for her.

Sakura hesitated for a bit before she took his hand and pulled herself up. "I'm… lost." she said, her voice cracked a little, the after-effects of her crying.

He gave her a small smile as he led the way, his hand still holding firmly to hers. Sakura blushed at the contact, but she kept quiet as she followed him.

"Lots of people gets lost here. Didn't you hear the stories? People rarely go up here. The minute you enter the Wolf's Domain, your heart will be lost. You'll never return home." He said as he led her to the path she comes from. "Follow this road straight ahead, someone will pick you up from where you come from."

Sakura nodded and muttered her thanks, but she stopped after a few steps, as she looked to her savior once again. "Thank you for helping me…" said Sakura. He nodded his welcome. "U-um… my name's Sakura Kinomoto. You are…?"

She waited for the latter to answer but he didn't. So she turned away and made her way down the path, when his voice sounded again. "It's Syaoran."

She turned the moment he said his name, but he was no longer there. Confused, and a bit scared, she ran down the path, where she found Yue at the end of the path.

"Sakura-san!" he exclaimed as he caught sight of the young girl running towards him. "Where have you been? Otou-sama is worried-" his sentence is cut down when Sakura hugged him tightly, earning a slight blush from the silver-haired guy.

"Yue-san… Yue-san… Thank goodness you're here… I was so scared…" Sakura blabbered as tears ran down her cheeks again.

Yue hesitantly pat the girl's head in an assuring manner. "I-It's alright now… I'm here…" he said as he gave her a slight hug to calm the girl down.

The two of them then made their way back home, hand in hand. Sakura was sent straight to bed after dinner by Masaki, under the suggestion of Yue, saying that Sakura must've been tired after her walk, which Sakura quickly agreed to.

Lying alone in her room, her mind went back to what had happened today. Who was the Syaoran person? She was sure she didn't see anyone in that path… then how…

Her train of thoughts drifted away as she fell to slumber, the image of those mesmerizing amber eyes etched in her mind, and the warmth of Yue's embrace lingers in her wake.

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**A/N: So, how was it? I hope it's enjoyable for you readers :D Tell me your opinion/suggestion in a review, kay? **

**See you in the next chapter!**


	2. The Boy in the Forest

**Wolf's Domain**

**Disclaimer: I do not own CCS or any of the characters used here, except for Aoki-san the driver. He's my made up character. Everything else is CLAMP's.**

**A/N: Yay! 2****nd**** chapter! Lol. Okay, when I was doing this 2****nd**** chapter, I think it might get even more than three chapters. Haha. Is that a bad or a good thing? Idk, you tell me~ Anyways, a big big thanks for those who reviewed, and those who put this as their favorite stories and story alerts. I love you all :3**

**The replies to the reviews from the last chapter are at the bottom. For now, let's continue to the second chapter!**

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_**The Boy in the Forest**_

Sakura woke up very early the next day, much to her surprise. The habit of waking up after her alarm clock rings for a few minutes is the normal her, after all. She looked at out of her bedroom window, the soft colours of the ending night settling over the sky, like a blanket that lulls the universe to sleep. The sun is creeping in its ever so slow pace, sending thin golden threads of sunray across the sky.

Sakura threw the covers away and made the bed, then went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. After she's done, she made her way to the dining room, where it was still deserted. The room was partially lit however, by the light illuminated from the kitchen. "Is Jii-chan up already?" she mumbled to herself as she made her way to the kitchen, revealing the one occupying the room as none other than the silver haired Yue, making breakfast.

Sakura stifled a yawn. "Yue-san… ohayou…" she greeted as she pulled a chair out and sat down, her eyes fixed on him.

"Sakura-san… Ohayou." He replied with one of his smiles. "You're up very early today. What's the matter? You didn't get enough sleep?"

Sakura shook her head. "I sleep like a baby yesterday," she said with a smile. "But I don't know why I woke up early today too…" she paused as she yawned again. 'Maybe I just felt like it." She said with a giggle.

"If you say so… are you hungry? You can eat something first if you want. Otou-sama won't be awake in a while, I think."

"Mmhm… It's okay, I'll just drink some milk for the time being. I'll wait till Jii-chan wakes up. " said Sakura, grabbing a glass from the counter and poured herself a glass of milk. She drank the first half of the milk in silence, as Yue continued with his work.

She put the glass down gently beside her as she talked. "Ne, Yue-san…"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you…"

A slight chuckle escaped from the silver haired guy before he coughed a bit to regain back his seriousness, not wanting Sakura to think he was laughing at her. "Thank you for what, Sakura-san?"

"For…" she paused a bit. "For umm, searching for me yesterday. You _were_ searching for me, weren't you?" asked Sakura uncertainly, and a bit awkwardly.

"Yes, I was searching for you. Otou-sama asks me to do so because it was getting late, and you're not home yet." He answered coolly.

"Umm, yeah. Thanks. And… and also, sorry…" she said, the last word barely audible.

"For?"

"For suddenly running to you and erm, suddenly hugging you like that." she mumbled, a slight brush decorating her features as she said it.

He smiled at her answer. "Well, I'd say thank you instead, rather than I'm sorry." He said as he finished making the breakfast. Sakura was about to ask him what that means when the dining room flooded with light.

"Take the milk with you to the dining room, Sakura-san," said Yue to the auburn haired girl. "Let's have breakfast, shall we?" he said with a smile, a smile she thought is the brightest he ever worn.

**x.X.x.W.O.W.x.X.x**

Sakura helped Yue around the house after breakfast, cleaning the house, generally. Sakura didn't mind helping out, because she was used to the chores in her own home, and the best part is, they had fun doing it.

Sakura and Yue was watering the little garden at the back of the house, as Masaki tended to a phone call from Sonomi. The garden was the last chore they have, so after that's done, they have the rest of the day all to themselves.

"Ne, Yue-san, you're from here, right? Did you know that the path yesterday is called the Wolf's Domain?" asked Sakura suddenly.

"Hmm?" Yue stopped at what he is doing as he looked at Sakura curiously. "Yes, I do know. But where did you know about the name? I didn't recall telling it to you."

Sakura bit her lip as she realized she just trapped herself with that question. She wanted to keep her meeting with the Syaoran person secret, but she couldn't run away now. Yue will definitely find out about that. "Uhm… umm, somebody told me that." she replied. It was an in between statement, as it is neither a lie nor the whole truth.

"A villager? That's rare. Nobody hardly went up there." said Yue, more to himself rather than to Sakura. "Are you sure-"

Their conversation was cut short when Masaki came to where they are. Sakura secretly let out a small sigh of relief. She was saved.

"Are you two done with your work?" asked Masaki.

"Un! We're done!" replied Sakura happily. "Right, Yue-san?"

"Yes we are. Is there anything you want, otou-sama?" asked Yue.

"Well, I was wondering if you two could run me an errand. You could bring Sakura around the village too, while you're at it." said Masaki with a glint that went unnoticed by the both of the youngsters.

"Well, I don't mind, but would you be okay alone?" asked Yue.

"I'll be fine… Akio-san will be with me, won't he? And really, you two are making me feel old by the minute. Now go along, you can take the bike from the shed when you want to go." replied Masaki as he walked away to get himself a glass of water.

Sakura felt her hair ruffled by Yue. "Go get ready. I'll meet you at the front, then we can go, okay?"

Sakura gave him an amused grin. "Okay!" she said as she rushed to her room to get ready.

Sakura came downstairs with a cute pale pink sundress and a short sleeved cardigan over it. Yue restrained from staring at her the moment he saw her, but he failed miserably. She looked gorgeous even in that simple attire.

Yue pretended to busy himself by looking at the bike instead of at Sakura. "You look pretty, Sakura-san." says Yue, managing a compliment as he mounted the bike.

Sakura blushed at the compliment. "Arigatou," was her shy reply as she took the space behind him, clutching to his sides to stabilize herself.

Yue smiled. "Let's go then." he said as he cycled down the hill to the village.

**x.X.x.W.O.W.x.X.x**

The ride to the village was really fun. Sakura barely felt the heat of the summer as she felt the wind hitting her face while she rode on the bike. After finishing the errand, Yue brought her to a tour around the little village, and now they are on a road near the river bank, cycling slowly as Sakura held on to his back, her cheek resting on his back. Yue would've thought that she had fallen asleep if it wasn't for Sakura's voice suddenly talking to him.

"Yue-san…?" her voice sounded dreamy, as she stared at the sparkling water in the river.

"Hmm…?"

"The village is pretty, isn't it?" she said.

"Quite lovely, I suppose." replied Yue simply as he kept on cycling on a slow pace.

"It's lucky of you to live in such peaceful place. This is a special privilege for me, to be whisked away in such a lovely place like this," she said with a slight giggle.

"Sou da ne, talking about special, can I ask you a question, Yue-san?"

"Hmm? What is it?"

"Do you… have a girlfriend? You know, that special someone." She asked with a grin, though unseen by Yue.

Clearly the question took the silver haired guy by surprise, as he didn't answer immediately after the question is asked. He could feel his cheeks heating up, and he kicked himself mentally for acting like a young teenager in these kind of times. He's 21 already, for crying out loud. Fortunately Sakura can't see him slightly blushing, and he thanked the heavens for that.

Sensing that maybe she said something wrong, Sakura lifted herself from her previously comfortable position, much to the despair of Yue, although of course, the auburn haired beauty noticed nothing.

"Should I have not asked that? If the question is too intruding, you don't have to answer." continued Sakura in a quiet voice as she tilted her head sideways to get a look at Yue.

"No." said Yue almost immediately, surprising Sakura by the sudden answer. Yue took a calming breath before he continued. "No, as in I don't mind you asking… and no, as in… I don't have anyone special in particular at the moment."

"Ahh… okay." replied Sakura, suddenly feeling embarrassed at the question she had asked. She made a mental note to try not to get her curiousity get the better of her again like that.

Sakura's emerald orbs caught sight of the path of where she walked yesterday. "Umm Yue-san, can you drop me off here?" said Sakura as she tugged at Yue's shirt, and the later stopped the bike as requested.

"Yeah, sure… but why?' asked Yue, his eyes clouded with worry. "I mean, you went out of that forest _crying_ yesterday. Are you sure you'd go back in there?"

Sakura gave him an assuring smile. "Daijoubu. I'm just uhh… a bit surprised yesterday. I was just scared because it's getting dark, that's all. So I'll be okay, don't worry." She said as she skipped her way along the path, near enough for Yue to still see her. "Tell Jii-chan I'll be back before dusk, ne?" said Sakura.

Yue sighed as he gave in. "Alright. But be careful and take care of yourself," said Yue with concern as he cycled away, leaving Sakura alone with the forest lining up the path.

**x.X.x.W.O.W.x.X.x**

Now alone, Sakura took a broken twig nearby and made a 'x' mark at where she stood, large enough so she can see it on the ground. She trailed the twig behind her as she went up the unused path, her right hand clutching a plastic bag containing some snacks she bought at the convenience store. She walked and walked till she reached the river from where she was yesterday, and stood by the riverbank, staring at her reflection in the water.

A few minutes passed, and then she heard it.

A rustle. And then a voice.

_His_ voice.

"You're here again."

Sakura turned to her back, and smiled at the owner of the voice. "I thought I'd meet you again."

Syaoran hid the little smile that was forming on his face. "How'd you know I'll be here?" he asked her, as he slipped his hands inside his pants' pocket. Unlike yesterday, he was wearing a simple white shirt with pants to go with.

Sakura shrugged. Even she didn't know how she knew that. She just did.

"I don't know really. Instincts?" she replied as she searched through the plastic bag she brought along, brandishing a popsicle not long after, making the boy in front of her raise his brow in question.

"Here! I come here to give you this. As a thank you gift. For helping me out yesterday." she said as she held the popsicle to him.

The gesture earned a little chuckle from Syaoran, who took it from her. "Thank you. That was thoughtful of you." he said as he offered his hand to Sakura. Now it was her turn to be in confusion.

"It's hot here. Let's go somewhere cooler. I don't want my popsicle to melt before I even eat it." He said as an explanation. He saw the doubt in her face, and in that emerald orbs of hers, though. "Don't worry, I'll see you out of here safely. I'm very familiar with this forest." He assured her with a smile.

Checking her watch, she still has around an hour before dusk. So she accepted his hand and let him lead the way, as a faint blush crept on her face at the warmth of his hands around hers.

"Kinomoto Sakura-san, is it?" he asked as he helped her cross over the river.

"Hoe? A-ah yeah."

"Hmm… Pretty name. Like the namesake, and like the owner," said Syaoran as he led her to a field of flowers, the wind blowing from the mountain to the field, creating a heavenly effect around them. He sat down as he gestured her to sit as well, as he opened his popsicle and began eating it.

"Thanks." said Sakura as she sat beside Syaoran, as she too, began to eat her popsicle, and the two of them just sat there together in silence.

"Syao..ran-san, right?" asked Sakura as she broke the silence, looking at the person beside her.

"The one and only." He said with a slight grin, his gaze on the view in front of him.

"Thank you for helping me out yesterday."

"Well, I couldn't very well leave you crying alone in the dark like that, could I?" he said as he threw his gaze to the girl beside him, the golden hues of his eyes boring into her jade ones.

"E-even so, thank you," said Sakura as she gave him a smile. "Umm, do you live here?" she asked.

"You could say that." He replied shortly as he shuffled his position, now lying against the bed of flowers.

"I see. So you're one of the villagers, then?" asked Sakura again.

She received no answer, so she turned to look at the boy. Syaoran was lying down beside her, his eyes closed, seemingly asleep.

Sakura sighed. She wanted the answer, but it'd be rude to wake him up so she kept quiet instead.

She fiddled with the flowers around her, making a flower crown, like how her mother taught her long ago. When she finished, she looked at Syaoran. Still sleeping. She pouted in annoyance for a bit, before a glint crosses her jade eyes.

She took the flower crown she made and silently put it on Syaoran's head, her face hovering over his, as she took in his face, her now slightly longer hair tickling his cheek.

She was about to move when Syaoran opened her eyes, and she found those amber eyes staring straight at her emerald ones. They stayed like that for a few more seconds before Sakura snapped back to normal, yelping as she scooted over from him, effectively surprising Syaoran as well.

"W-What was that for?" he asked her, not aware of the flower crown Sakura put just before he woke up, now lopsided against his messy brown hair.

Recovering from the shock, Sakura let out a slight giggle at that sight of Syaoran. The flower crown looked so in contrast with his annoyed expression, making it a somewhat cute combination.

Syaoran was rendered even more confused by Sakura's giggle. Did he have something on his face? On his shirt? His hands went up to ruffle his hair when he touched the flower crown Sakura made. "Wha-?" His mouth quirked into a smile. "You're weird." He remarked as he took the crown from his hair.

"Why? You don't like it?" asked Sakura, a bit hurt with the sudden remark.

"No, I like it very much. Just that, I thought it'd suit you better," he said as he got up and placed the flower crown gently on Sakura's head. "There. Perfect. Now you look just like a princess." He commented as he offered his hand to Sakura yet again.

Sakura accepted his hand with a faint blush gracing her features. She didn't want this to end yet, but it was time for her to go home. They walked back to the path leading down from the river in silence. Syaoran reluctantly let Sakura's hand go, his hand already longing for that warmth of when their hands are linked together.

He watched her as she walked down the path, her right hand touching the crown he placed on her, her hair blowing behind her.

"Kinomoto-san?" he called out to her, the wind carrying his voice to her, making her turn around back to face him.

"Yes?"

"Will you… uhm, could you… come again tomorrow? Here?" he asked, unable to hide that hopeful tone in his voice.

"Un!" she replied as she gave him a cheery smile. "I'll meet you at the river tomorrow afternoon?" she asked him back.

"Yeah. I'd like that very much," he said as he gave her one of his charming smiles. "See you tomorrow then."

Sakura responded with a wave of her hand, as the amber eyed boy followed her steps till she was no longer to be seen.

* * *

**A/N: End of the 2****nd**** chapter. Phew! This story got the longest chapters compared to my previous works, but it was worth it. :D Yue will be a bit OOC here, though sometimes I modeled his character according to Yukito. He will have his normal personality showing up later on in the story though. **

**So yup, there'll be two possible pairings here, either SakuraxYue or SakuraxSyaoran. Who would you like Sakura to end up with? Tell me your opinion in your reviews. *wink**wink* hehehe~ **

_Replies to previous reviews:_

**poodle girl** – You're the first reviewer! Yay! Lol xD *coughs* anyway, Thank you for reviewing the story, and I'm glad you like the first chapter ^^ I still can't answer your question yet, but it'll be revealed later on. ;)

**redeyes143** – Now that you mention it, the summary does resemble Little Red Riding Hood! :D I'm glad you liked the first chapter, and hope you like the 2nd too :D oh and thanks a lot for pointing out the misspelling, I owe you one!

**xSapphirexRosesxFanx **– Here's the update! I hope you like it~ and as to what happens with the wolf, you'll find out soon enough, so tune in~ ^^

**Hatsuki:** Glad that you liked it! Here's the continuation, and hope you like it too~ ^^

**Guest:** Thank you for reading and reviewing

**Ayumi-chan:** Thank you thank you~ :3 Here's the next chapter as promised :D aaand thank you for the help~ :3


	3. The Picnic in the Forest

**A/N: Right. First off, want to apologise to everyone for neglecting this story for a while. Life's been glomping me with hectic-ness because I'm entering university soon! Yay! But I hate the work. =.= And I've been stuck with writer's block because the plot always scatter around in my head. And I'm still trying to make it all fit, so bear with me.**

**Anyway, here's the continuation. Enjoy! And thank you for those who reviewed for last chapter! Review responses are below.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own CCS. CLAMP does.**

* * *

**The Picnic in the Forest**

Sakura checked her reflection in the mirror for the last time, tucking in a strand of loose hair behind her ear. She was clad in a baby blue summer dress and a summer hat to match, and after a few seconds, she smiled at her reflection, then made her way down to the front door where her picnic basket is situated.

She walked around the house for a bit to search for her grandfather and Yue, since they aren't inside, and she smiled when she reached the back of the house, where her grandfather and Yue is tending the plants. "Jii-chan, Yue-san! I'm going out for a bit, kay? I'll be back in time to help Yue-san!" she waved to them with a grin.

Masaki just waved back in response, quite happy to see his granddaughter so cheerful. Yue just sighed and shook his head. She's definitely going to that forest again. He'd like it very much to stop her, but he doubted that that will go along with Masaki, and Sakura herself, for that matter. He swung the hoe he was holding over his shoulder, while he composed himself before talking to Masaki. "It's hot out, otou-sama. Let's get inside and I'll prepare some refreshments for us, ne?" he said with a smile.

**x.X.W.O.W.X.x**

The auburn haired beauty hummed a song she heard her mum and brother played on piano when she was little as she walked up the path leading to the forest. She liked the weather today, as its not overly hot despite it being summer… or maybe that's just an effect of the forest, sheltering her from the sun's fierce rays.

It didn't take her long to reach the riverside, where their meeting point is. She set the picnic basket for a bit before she noticed her company for today, effortlessly jumping down from a nearby tree.

She smiled warmly at him. "Hello again, Syaoran-san."

He smiled back at her, as he took the picnic basket off the ground. "I'd rather if you don't call me so formally," he said as he held his hand out for her, which she accepted. "Syaoran's just fine… We're friends anyway…" his sentence dying in a trail. He looked at Sakura with a somehow unsure expression. "We _are_ friends, right?"

Sakura giggled slightly as she nodded her head. "Yes we are, Syaoran-kun." She replied with a smile. "And on that note, call me Sakura, ne? It's only fair, after all…"

Syaoran just nodded in acknowledgement as he led her to the same flower field he brought her yesterday.

"Waaahh…" exclaimed Sakura as she felt the breeze hitting her face. "It's always so lovely here…" she said as she sat down.

"It is, isn't it?" replied Syaoran with a content smile. "The field is one of my favourite place, you know. Out of all the places in the forest…"

Sakura brought out the sandwiches and croquettes she made for their little picnic and set them down on the plates she brought with her. "I can see why." replied Sakura as she offered him a sandwich. "Here, help yourself! I made this myself, but Yue-san helped with most of it," she said with a smile.

Syaoran gladly accepted the sandwich from her. "Yue-san?" he asked as he took the wrapper off. "Your boyfriend?" he asked with a playful glint in his eyes.

Sakura immediately blushed, which unfortunately didn't go unnoticed by the amber-eyed youth. "Oh? I presume I am right then?"

"No!" exclaimed Sakura, the word coming out a bit harsher then she intended. Aware that she might offend Syaoran, she apologized. "I-I'm sorry… It's just… kinda blurted out of me… Sorry…" she said with her head hung down.

Syaoran chuckled a little. "It's alright. It was too forward of me to suddenly presume that kind of thing, so we're even." He said as he took a bite of his sandwich. "Ooh, this tastes good…"

Sakura smiled slightly at the compliment, her mood rising up slightly. "I'm glad it turns out okay…" she said as she took one of the said sandwiches. "And Yue-san isn't my boyfriend… he's well, I guess you can call him a relative."

"A relative? As in… your uncle maybe?"

"Well… not particularly…" replied Sakura as she peeled the wrapper off. "He's not really from our family, see? Jii-chan kinda adopted him, I suppose."

"I see… so he lives with your jii-chan then?" asked Syaoran.

"Yeah. Yue-san said Jii-chan helped him out a lot so he's just returning the favour…" replied Sakura.

"Sounds like a pretty decent guy for me." Said Syaoran as he finished the last of his sandwich, taking a croquette next.

Sakura smiled. "He is! He's kind, responsible, and is pretty good at everything. He's like my other brother!" said Sakura happily.

"Hmmm… so you have a brother too?" asked Syaoran as he looked at Sakura.

"Un! I live with my dad and my older brother, Touya…" she trailed a bit before continuing. "My mother passed away when I was five, so I didn't really get to be with her for too long. I remembered the things she taught me though, and that she was a very beautiful person…"

"I'm sorry to hear that…"

"It's okay," smiled Sakura as she began on her croquette. "But enough about me, what about you, Syaoran?"

"About me… nothing interesting really…" said Syaoran with a smile. "My family consists of me, my older sisters and my mother. I'm the only boy in my sibling so sometimes my sisters will pursue me to dress me up just for the fun of it." He chuckled for a bit. "I have to say, it gets annoying sometimes, but I love them a lot, so I just run away in case they got into one of their dressing up mode."

Sakura giggled. "Interesting sisters you have there."

"Yeah, in a way I suppose…" replied Syaoran with a smile.

They stayed silent for a bit, enjoying their meal in contented silence, as they looked at the beautiful scenery upon them, the breeze kissing their cheeks.

"Ne, Syaoran…"

"Hmm?"

"Nobody really comes up here, huh?" asked the auburn haired beauty.

"No, I guess they don't…" replied Syaoran simply.

"So… this is like your secret place then?" grinned Sakura.

Syaoran chuckled. "I suppose it is…"

"But you know Syaoran, I heard that this place is filled with wolves. I even saw one of them, you know!" she remarked.

"Well, I wouldn't say _filled_ with them…" mumbled Syaoran absent-mindedly.

"Why not?" asked the curious Sakura.

Syaoran thought of a witty answer in that split second. "I mean, if there are a lot of them, wouldn't we be their meals right now?" he said with a nervous laugh.

"Sou ne. Guess that makes sense."

Syaoran inaudibly heaved a relieved sigh. "Ne, Sakura… thanks for the lovely picnic. It was lovely indeed." grinned Syaoran.

"You're very much welcome." smiled Sakura. "I'm just glad that I have something to do, and that I've gained a friend," she said as she smiled at Syaoran.

"I'm happy I made a friend too… that's something I don't get often..." said Syaoran a bit wistfully.

"I wonder why not… I mean, I couldn't see why anyone would want to be your friend…"

Syaoran just smiled. "Oh never mind that. _You're_ my friend, and that's more than enough for me."

"You're weird sometimes, Syaoran." said Sakura as she packed her basket.

"You're going home already?" asked Syaoran, his voice laced with disappointment.

"Yeah, apparently Yue-san needs me to help him out with something, so I have to go home quick." explained Sakura as she got up, and Syaoran did the same.

"Well, I suppose it can't be helped… though I must say, I get pretty lonely if you're not here…" said Syaoran as he threw a smile at her.

"Gomenne… but come on, it's not that I won't come again… I'll come tomorrow, I promise!" she said as they reached the path to get Sakura home. "See you then, Syaoran!" grinned Sakura with a grin and a wave as Syaoran watched her till she's out of his vision.

A rustle sounded behind him as somebody emerges near him. "Syaoran." called the voice of the hidden figure.

"Hana."

"Are you going to tell her?"

Syaoran hesitated a bit before he replied. "I… I have to… I have to, eventually, right?"

"I wish that she… oh never mind, you'll just get angry if I said it…" said the voice as its owner vanished back inside the clump of trees.

Syaoran sighed. "I wished the same, but fate is just too strong to fight…" he said as he spared one last look to the path down the Wolf's Domain.

**x.X.x.W.O.W.x.X.x**

"Aaah, I'm beat!" exclaimed the yukata-clad Sakura as she stretched beside Yue, the latter holding a plate of steamed buns and put it in between them as he sat down with her.

"Good work Sakura-san… Sorry to trouble you, but I'm afraid that the job is impossible with only one person doing it." Said Yue.

"Oh it was no problem at all…" replied Sakura as she took a bite of her steamed bun. "Mmm… oishii! As always!" grinned Sakura. "And look, the moon is so pretty here…"

"The moon, ne? Indeed it is." Replied Yue as he looked at the half full moon. "Reminds you of the story of Kaguya Hime, doesn't it?"

"Now that you mention it, it does… The Moon Princess, ne, how nice…"

"I have a similar story like the Moon Princess too, you know. Want to hear it?"

"Definitely!" replied Sakura enthusiastically.

Yue finished his bun and cleared his throat before he continued on;

"Once upon a time, there lived the Moon Clan, said to be descendants of the Kaguya Princess herself. They prided themselves on their beauty, and their blood, which wields magic, said to be from the moon. They lived peacefully until one day, their oracle foresees of their fall. It is said that when the sky hides the moon, the clan will fall to its demise.

True enough, when the moon did not show its form in the sky, a malevolent aura surrounded the clan's domain. In the dark, they were taken out one by one, till none is left. All that's left is a fearsome howl in the darkness, as the oracle ran away from the shredded clan, the sobbing prince in her hands."

"So the prince and the oracle survived?" asked Sakura.

Yue nodded. "Luckily, yes, they survived. It is said that a power-hungry wolf had attacked their clan in search of their magic power, but none knows whether its really the truth or not. It is a fairy tale, after all," smiled Yue as he finishes his story.

Sakura took a relieved sigh. "Well at least the prince and the oracle are saved. I don't really like story without happy endings." said Sakura.

"Neither do I…" replied Yue. "Now, I suggest you rest yourself, Sakura-san. You deserve some rest after all the work."

Sakura yawned. "I suppose I will. Goodnight Yue-san…"

"Goodnight Sakura-san." He said as he watched till she was out of sight.

He picked up the tray holding the now empty plates and cups. He looked at the moon again.

"The story would've ended in a happy ending, if only the oracle didn't leave the prince afterwards." mumbled Yue. "But then again, real life does not allow the existence of happy endings, does it?"

* * *

**A/N: Meh, a bit crappy but I think it's okay. Drop a review? And thanks for reading~ ^^**

**StereoTimeBomb:** I'm glad you like it. I'm still much of an amature writer though, so I still have a long way to go. Thanks for reading! ^^

**Ayumi:** Creepy? LOL maybe in a way, yes :P

**lemilly:** Thanks you for voting in~! ^^ Let's see where the story goes, yeah?

**Guest:** Thank you! Glad you like it J

**Guest:** Thank you, glad you like it ^^

**Guest:** Here's a little SakuraxSyaoran moments, but its only a bit. Hope you like it ~

**redeyes143 :** Thank you! Indded its going to have more chapters, just that the pace might be a wee bit slow, so I hope you can bear with me J

**JapanGirl0102:** Thank you! I just picked up Yue because well, it seems unlikely, but if they are together, it'd be cute. In my opinion, that is ;)

**xSapphirexRosesxFanx:** Thank you! Here's the next update, and sorry I took so long to update.

**Guest:** Thank you for voting in. Let's see who she ends up with ^^

**KiyomiShizuru:** Thank you! Here's the continuation, but there's still more it ;)

**deadflo:** Here's the update :D Thank you for reading!


	4. The Dream in the Forest

**Wolf's Domain**

**Disclaimer: I do not own CCS. Everything rightfully belongs to CLAMP.**

**A/N: Yes, I am aware that it's been forever since the last update, but as per usual, life have been taking much of my time. I apologize for the lateness of the chapter, but I hope you still enjoy the story :) And do drop a review :)**

* * *

**_The Dream in the Forest_**

_"Sakura..."_

There's a voice calling for her.

_"Sakura..."_

There it is again... Sakura wanted to open her eyes, but she felt heaviness cast upon her, and she can't manage to open her eyes.

_"Sakura..."_ the voice called again, this time edged with desperation and a tinge of longing.

_"Sakura, help me."_

She awoke with a start, beads of perspiration on her forehead, running down to her chin, her breath ragged. She clapped her palms to her face, trying to stabilize her breathing, as her mind drifted over the pieces of the dream she just had.

In the dream, a voice was there, calling for her name again and again. Whoever could that be?

She allowed the thoughts to linger for a bit, before shaking her head and clapping her palms to her cheek, in an effort to shake away that curious feeling she felt. She jumped a little when she heard a knock on her bedroom door.

"Sakura-san, are you awake?"

"Yes I am... " she replied as cheerfully as she could, getting down from her bed to open the door slightly, enough to fit her head through.

"Good morning, Yue-san. Is there something wrong?" asked Sakura as she stifled a yawn.

The silver haired youth shook his head with a smile as he patted her head.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan. Otou-sama wants you to join for breakfast. " he said simply.

"Oh. Okay. I'll be down in ten." replied Sakura with a grin.

**x.X.x. W. O. W .x.X.x**

Sakura joined her grandfather for breakfast, happily chatting with the both of them about how she's been enjoying her days here with them.

"Are you going to go to the forest again today? " asked Yue, voice carefully kept as casual as he could, though he could not hide the tinge of uneasiness in his tone.

"Un. I'm going right after I finish my summer homework." She said with a smile.

Masaki, who recognised the worried tone of Yue's smiled at Sakura. "Just be sure to take care of yourself..." he reminded her gently.

"I will. Don't worry Jii-chan!" said Sakura assuringly to the both of them.

**x.X.x W.O.W x.X.x**

Sakura stared at the mathematical equations in front of her, her eyes turning into spirals just by looking at them.

"Ah mouuu..." she huffed as she let her head rest on the table, as her gaze flitted to the panorama outside the window. From her room she can see the garden that her grandfather and Yue had spent a lot of their time caring for, and she smiled at the beautiful garden. Sakura was taken aback when she saw a small orb of light from her peripheral view, and that was the last thing she saw before her eyes closed involuntarily and she fell into a slumber.

And then there she is again, in the place she was in her dream before, only now she can clearly discern where she is now.

In the Wolf's Domain.

She looked around, hoping to see a sign of people there, before she saw a silhouette near the clump of trees by the river. She tried to move her body but it was futile as she cannot move at all. She heard the rustling of the trees, before seeing a silhouette, standing in front of her, but was hidden by the trees.

"Who... are you?" whispered Sakura.

"That's not important. At least, not for now. I... need you to do something."

"Do something?" She asked, clearly puzzled. "Do what?"

"Stop coming to the Wolf's Domain."

"W-what? But why?"

"Because you will-..." she didn't get to hear the rest of her sentence before she woke up from the dream, gasping.

She looked at the clock near her. It's already 3 in the evening.

"Hoeee! I'm late! " she exclaimed as she hurriedly changed her clothes, bid Yue and Masato goodbye before making her way up Wolf's Domain.

**x.X.x W.O.W x.X.x**

She arrived to find Syaoran waiting for her near the river, his gaze thrown to the side.

She settled beside him, still trying to catch her breath.

"Sorry.. I was... late..." she said between ragged breaths.

Syaoran just smiled in reply. "It's okay.. I just got here myself."

Sakura took a calming breath before she looked at Syaoran, his gaze still not flinching from the view in front of him. It looked almost melancholic that Sakura turned away.

"Ano.. Syaoran... kun, are you okay?"

That question seemed to wrench him back to reality.

"What are you saying, Sakura san... Of course I'm okay." He said as he looked at her with a smile, though she could somehow see that those hazel eyes of him hid his real feeling.

At a loss on what to do, Sakura took out the snacks she was given by Yue before , and handed one to him, and he received it with a smile.

"Thanks." He muttered before eating the bun in silence.

Sakura scrambled for a conversation to start, and she frantically grasped for the first thread of thought she could think of.

"A-ano ne Syaoran kun, I... had a weird dream just now... Just before I come here."

Syaoran raised an eyebrow. "A dream?"

"Un. A dream." She nodded in confirmation. "It was about me in the Wolf's Domain and there was a silhouette telling me not to come...- " Sakura slurred out the last of her words before her eyes closed involuntarily, her body sliding towards Syaoran, where the latter caught her in time. Sakura was asleep. And Syaoran just knew who caused her to be like that.

"Neru!" He called out to the empty surrounding, his voice strict.

A sparkling ball of light come before him, and later transformed into a small girl clad in white, with a wand in her hand. "I'm sorry, Syaoran-sama..." she said apologetically, hands clapped in front of her face.

"Now now...don't be too hard on her...she was just doing what I asked her to do.." said another silhouette emerging from the trees, a woman clad in green, with long beautiful hair and a face half hidden by a mask-like accessory on her head.

"Yume. I should've known..." Syaoran sighed.

The woman made her way to Syaoran, sparing a glance towards the sleeping Sakura. "I have to do something..."

"But I didn't ask you to do anything." said Syaoran.

Yume sighed. "I wonder how your mother can deal with the stubbornness of yours." She said with a tone of weariness. "You know how hard it is to change the future. Can you at least recognize our effort to save you?"

"But I... about her... " his voice was a tone lower.

"I know, because you are fated to be so. It's nothing you could fight. I understand."

"Then why-"

"Because your mother asked me to."

That shut him for good. Syaoran threw his gaze to Sakura instead, still sleeping.

"I'll give you one more day with her. Then you must promise not to see her again."

"But-"

"We all love you here Syaoran. Don't let our love go to waste. Stop behaving like a spoiled brat for once." said Yume as she disappeared back into the clump of trees.

"But I love her..." whispered Syaoran as he hugged Sakura close, wishing that this is all nothing but a dream.

**x.X.x W.O.W x.X.x**

Sakura woke up an hour after that, finding her head resting on Syaoran's lap, the latter also apparently sleeping, as his head drooped while his eyes closed.

Sakura gently removed her head from his lap, giggling softly as she poked his cheek.

"Syaoran kun..." she called out to him softly, but he didn't stir.

"Syaoran kun..." she called out again, and this time he opened his eyes.

"Good morning~" she said with a grin.

He chuckled. "It's already evening..." he said as he stretched a bit, yawning.

"Sorry I fell asleep... and sorry we didn't get to do anything today."

"Hmm? But we _did_ do something..." said Syaoran, his tone serious.

"Hoe? B-but I was sleeping the whole time... we didn't- "

"Well, _you _wouldn't know. You _were_ sleeping..." said Syaoran with a sly grin as he put his index finger softly on Sakura's lips.

Sakura blushed instantly. "H- hoe? U-uso... You... I... did you... k-k-ki-.." her sentence was stopped short by a chuckle from Syaoran, which then grew into a hearty laugh. "I'm not that mean..." said Syaoran as his laugh died out. "But did you really believe I kissed you?" he asked with a slight chuckle.

Sakura blushed again, in a brighter shade of pink. "M-Mou... stupid Syaoran-kun!" she said as she stood up and dusted the dirt off her clothes. "I-I'm going home!" she said haughtily, still flustered. She was about to go off by herself when Syaoran took her hand in his.

"I'll send you off, okay?" he said as he lifted himself up, still not letting go of her.

He led her a few steps forward and seeing that she put no resistance with his hold on her hand, he continued to walk her through the forest.

"I'm sorry for making you angry..." he said apologetically as they reached the end of the road.

"I- It's okay... I guess..." replied Sakura, a shade of pink still decorating her features. "J-ja, I'll see you tomorrow then. Goodbye" she said as she made her way home, slightly running to calm the chaotic beating of her heart.

Syaoran watched her until he can't see her any more. "Goodbye Sakura..." he whispered silently as a tear trickled down his cheek.


	5. The Encounter in the Forest

**Wolf's Domain**

**Disclaimer: I do not own CCS. Everything rightfully belongs to CLAMP.**

**A/N: Hello again, dear readers :D To my new readers, welcome. To my old ones, thank you for still sticking around with my story even though I always update late. ^^" So as a thanks, here's a quick update and a longer chapter ;) Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

**The Encounter in the Forest**

Sakura wiped the beads of perspiration off her head as she walked out of the grocery store, her hand carrying the ingredients of tonight's dinner.

"It's hot…" murmured Sakura as she walked past the notification board, but retraced her steps backwards as her eyes caught something that interests her.

**x.X.x W.O.W x.X.x**

"A summer festival? Tonight?" asked Syaoran as he took a bite out of the manjuu he was eating.

"Un! Didn't you know about it? I saw the poster for it at the notification board while running an errand for Yue-san." Replied Sakura cheerfully.

"Hmm… I see…then why don't we go together?"

"You want to?" asked Sakura, hopeful in her tone.

"I don't see why not." replied Syaoran with a smile.

"Let's go then!" replied Sakura enthusiastically. "Oh, but I have to go back early then."

"Then you should go home now. I'm sure you need time to prepare. You _are_ a girl after all." He said with a chuckle.

"Mou… you said it like being a girl is a bad thing." pouted Sakura as she got up to leave, getting another chuckle from Syaoran as the answer.

**x.X.x W.O.W x.X.x**

After safely sending Sakura out of Wolf's Domain, Syaoran was immediately berated by Yume.

"I thought I told you to not see her again!" said Yume sternly.

"You said one more day. Today counts as one day right? Till midnight strikes, that is." retaliated Syaoran coolly.

"I really wish you'd see the wrong of your ways, Xiao Lang." said Yume with a sigh. "Fine, do what you want. But don't blame me if anything happens." said Yume as she disappeared into thin air.

"I'll… I'll protect her no matter what."

"Syaoran-sama, you always like to get on Yume's nerve, don't you?" said a teenage girl clad in pink that emerges beside him, her hair tied into curly twin tails, bringing along a whiff of flower scent with her.

"It's not my fault. I mean… I can't throw away my feelings just like that, can I?" replied Syaoran. "By the way Hana, I might need your help tonight."

"Hmm? What for?" said the girl called Hana as she conjures a small crown of sakura flowers and put it on Syaoran's head. "For her?" she asked with a small laugh, taking in the appearance of Syaoran with a flower crown..

"You're as bad as my sisters, Hana, dressing me up and all." said Syaoran as he touched the crown Hana made. "Yeah, I need you to help out to get things pretty for her tonight. It _is_ going to be my last day with her anyway, so I thought I'd make it a bit special…"

"Well, Yume's going to give me an earful for this, I'm sure. But… I'll help." replied Hana. "We all here are supposed to help you anyway." She said with a smile.

"Thanks Hana. Glow, can you come out for a bit?" said Syaoran to the empty surrounding.

A small orb of green light floated in front of Syaoran, where it materializes into a small fairy-like child, her garments shaped like a firefly.

"Anything I can help you with, Syaoran-sama?" she asked politely.

"Yeah. You're going to help me make the best memory she ever had with me."

**x.X.x W.O.W x.X.x**

"You want to go to the summer festival?" asked Yue when Sakura asked him to help to relocate the yukata she brought for this kind of occasion.

"Un. With my friend. Ah there it is!" exclaimed Sakura as she found the yukata she was looking for.

"The one you always meet with? Well then, can I come along?" asked Yue after spending a few minutes thinking about it. "I missed last summer's festival, so I would like to take a look on this summer's festival." He said with a smile. "Do you think your friend will let me join you two?"

"I think so." said Sakura with a cheery smile. "I think Syaoran-kun and Yue-san will get along well with each other!" said Sakura as she picked up her yukata. "I'll go tell Jii-chan then, ne?" said Sakura as she went out of the room.

"Syaoran… Xiao Lang, is it?" murmured Yue to himself as he narrowed his eyes. 'Finally, after all these years, we'll meet, Little Wolf."

**x.X.x W.O.W x.X.x**

Sakura checked her reflection in the mirror, putting on the last touch-ups on her yukata. Her slightly long auburn hair is pulled back into a half ponytail, accessorized with a hairclip with twin sakura flowers adorned on it. She was smoothing down her yukata, which also have the motif of the sakura flower, when a knock sounded at her door.

"Sakura-chan, can I come in?" asked Yue.

"Sure. I'm done already." replied Sakura as she opened the door to reveal the silver haired youth clad in a simple grey yukata waiting for her.

"The yukata fits you well, Sakura-chan," commented Yue with a smile. "Here's your fan and your kinchaku." (A/n: Kinchaku is the little pouch girls carry when they are wearing yukata.)

"A-Arigatou…" replied Sakura with a slight blush adorning her features. "You look nice in a yukata too, Yue-san."

"Not as nice as you are, I'm sure." chuckled Yue as he made his way to the living room. "Well then, let's go. It's rude to let your friend wait for us."

"Hai~" replied Sakura as she followed him out of the room.

**x.X.x W.O.W x.X.x**

"I'm sorry for making you take the long way with me, Yue-san. But I promised I'll meet him at our usual place so…" said Sakura as they walked through the path leading to the entrance of Wolf's Domain.

"It's okay…" replied Yue simply. "Besides, it'll be dangerous if I let you go to the forest by yourself at night. Otou-sama will be worried if you do."

"I guess…" said Sakura with a small laugh. "Ah there he is! Syaoran-kun!" Sakura called out to the figure from afar, slightly running towards him.

"I thought you won't be coming." said Syaoran with a teasing tone.

"I promised I would, and I always keep my promises." stated Sakura in reply with a smile. "By the way, this is Yue-san, the one I told you about." said Sakura as she introduced Yue to Syaoran. "Yue-san, this is Syaoran-kun."

"Nice to meet you, Yue-san." said Syaoran, bowing a bit as he took in the figure of Yue, as the older male did the same.

"Pleasure to meet you too, Syaoran-san." replied Yue.

"Well then now that you two are introduced, let's go to the festival!" exclaimed Sakura as she led the way, leaving the two males behind.

**x.X.x W.O.W x.X.x**

"Woahh! Amazing!" exclaimed Sakura enthusiastically as she took in the merry atmosphere of the festival.

"Sou ne." said Yue as he looked around at the various stalls selling souvenirs and food. There's also stands that hosted game-like activities.

"Where do we go to first?" asked Yue, as Syaoran stayed quiet as he walked through the crowd.

"Saa ne… hmm… can we get some takoyaki? I'm kind of hungry." replied Sakura with a shy grin. "Would that be okay, Syaoran-kun?"

"I'll pass." replied Syaoran. "I have already eaten before coming here, you see."

"I'll pass too, Sakura-chan. I don't really like takoyaki… Is it okay if you go buy it by yourself? I want to take a look on these masks, they're interesting, don't you think? said Yue as he picked up one of the mask at the stall nearest to them, putting it to cover his face.

"Hai hai. Wait for me okay?" said Sakura as she walked off to the takoyaki stall a few stalls away.

"Now." said Yue as he lifted his mask, his piercing blue eyes narrowed dangerously as he glared at Syaoran, who returned the glare. "Should we have a little talk, _Xiao Lang_?"

Syaoran took a breath as he composed himself and took another mask displayed at the stall and examined it, while sparing a glance to the silver haired youth. "What business do you have with me? How do you know my real name?"

"A victim will always remember the name of the offender." replied Yue, his hand slightly shaking in anger. "You eradicated my clan. It'll be a disrespect to my clan if I do not remember your name."

"What are you saying? I didn't kill-…"

"Don't joke around with me!" shouted Yue, attracting a few curious looks from the onlookers, but was smoothed down when Sakura came running towards them, the takoyaki in her hands.

"Yue-san! Syaoran-kun! Is there anything wrong? I heard some shouting so I came running…" panted Sakura, a worried look gracing her features.

"Nothing happened… just that Yue-san was a bit surprised about something I told him, ne, Yue-san?" said Syaoran as he looked over Yue, his expression telling the older guy to play along. Yue huffed slightly as he went to pay for the mask he was previously fiddling with.

"You sure everything's alright? I mean, it's rare to see Yue-san raise his voice…"

"Everything's fine, Sakura-chan. Don't let it worry you, okay?" said Yue as he came back from the stall, patting her head in assurance.

"Hm… if you say so…" said Saura with a relieved sigh. "I bought some extra for you two." said Sakura as she handed them the extra takoyaki. "I know you said you don't want to but just try one, it's delicious!" said Sakura with a grin, making both Yue and Syaoran chuckle at the same time, though their chuckles was dissolved in a moment of awkwardness, which thankfully went unnoticed by Sakura.

"By the way, I saw this one stall where they have the water yoyo, and I thought that I wanted to give it a try but..-" her sentence was cut short when she bumped into someone. "I'm sorry..." murmured Sakura as she bowed in apology.

"No it was my fault, I wasn't looking where I'm going." said the person Sakura bumped into, a beautiful young woman, a brunette, with ruby eyes.

Yue and Syaoran went to Sakura's aid straightaway, asking whether she's okay or not.

"I'm fine..." replied Sakura with an assuring smile.

"Well then I'll be on my way. Do take care of the young girl," said the woman to both Yue

and Syaoran. "It'd be a shame if anything bad is to happen to her." she said as she walked away, leaving them perplexed by her words.

"Sakura-chan," said Yue suddenly, a tone of urgency in his voice. "Do you mind if I go somewhere?" his silver eyes narrowed in contempt for something Sakura is unaware of, his eyes flitting to the place the woman disappeared to once in a while.

"Okay. Syaoran-kun will keep me company. Right?" replied Sakura as Syaoran responded

with a nod.

"Then I trust Syaoran-san will protect you when I'm not here." said Yue as he glanced towards Syaoran. "You two should enjoy the festival. If I'm not back with you two in an hour, then you should go back home, okay, Sakura-chan?"

"Okay… but is everything alright? Where are you going?" asked Sakura with a worried tone.

"I just need to take care of something. Don't worry, kay?"

"U-un." replied Sakura, albeit a little bit uncertainly, as Yue made his way to the crowd.

"I'm sure he'll be fine." said Syaoran as he took Sakura's hand in his, squeezing it slightly, eliciting a blush from Sakura. "Let's go to the water yoyo stall, why don't we? You wanted to try it right?"

"H-hai…" answered Sakura with a small smile and a blush, her anxiety dissolved in that moment.

**x.X.x W.O.W x.X.x**

An hour passed and Yue still haven't joined Sakura and Syaoran. On the other hand, Sakura's hand was preoccupied by the teddy and the water yoyo Syaoran won from the game stall.

"Syaoran-kun, you really are good in these kind of things, aren't you?" said Sakura with a laugh.

"I guess I just have it naturally in me." he replied with a grin. "But I think we should head home now. An hour already passed, you know."

"Ah sou ne… I wonder if Yue-san is home yet…"

"Let's just get you home, so that he won't worry. But…"

"But…?"

"Can we go up Wolf's Domain for a bit? I have something to show you." asked Syaoran.

"H-hoe?"

"You… don't want to?"

"N-no. I mean, I want to, but it's dark in the forest so…"

Syaoran chuckled slightly. "I'll be there with you. I'll protect you if anything happens, so don't worry." said Syaoran with a gentle smile.

"W-well, if you say so… but I can't be long, or Jii-chan and Yue-san will be worried…"

"Noted." said Syaoran with a grin.

**x.X.x W.O.W x.X.x**

"Wahhhh… Beautiful…" exclaimed Sakura as she arrived at Wolf's Domain. Specks of light was floating everywhere, among the trees, and even near the river. "Fireflies?" asked Sakura to Syaoran.

"I suppose you can say that." said Syaoran as he sat on the rock near the river. "Pretty isn't it?"

"Very!" exclaimed Sakura happily as she watched the light in admiration.

"One other thing I want to show you is… that." said Syaoran as he pointed towards the sky, where it is decorated by fireworks from the firework display of the festival. "You get to have the best view up here." said Syaoran proudly.

"Waaah! Sugoi yo, Syaoran-kun!" exclaimed Sakura, giddy with excitement.

"Ne… Sakura…" called Syaoran to the Sakura who was standing near the river.

"H-Hai?" replied Sakura as she looked at him with a smile.

"I… have something to tell you…" said Syaoran as the fireworks decreased in number, signalling the near-end of the display

"Hmm… what is it?"

"I…-" his sentence was cut short when he saw a lump of shadow creeping behind Sakura. "Sakura! Watch out!" said Syaoran as he dashed towards her, the shadow forming into a person, who captured Sakura and rendered her unconscious.

"Sorry to ruin the moment, Xiao Lang," said the mysterious culprit with an evil laugh as he stepped out of the darkness. "But I have come to fulfill my destiny."

* * *

**A/N: So… how was it? Does that make you want to read more? If it does, do drop a review :3 Sorry it is a bit rushed, I was doing this in between my assignments. ^^" Also, Syaoran's Chinese name is Xiao Lang, which means Little Wolf. This will play a role in future chapters so I thought I'd tell you. Try guessing who Yume, Hana, Neru and Glow are. :D the person who guessed it right will get cookies! Hehe~**

**The story kind of took a turn away from how it originally planned to be, but I'm trying to make it as close as I can get it to the original plot. But that aside, look forward for the next chapter (which I may post next week if I'm not too busy), and don't forget to review :D**


	6. The Fight in the Forest

**Wolf's Domain**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own CCS. Everything rightfully belongs to CLAMP.**_

**A/n: Hello again readers! :D I am very very sorry for the late update, but my internet connection failed me these past weeks so I can't update. Thank you very very much for all the reviews, I love you all. 3**

**In regards to the question I asked on the last update, *gives cookie to Dreaming Snow*, Yume, Hana, Neru, and Glow are indeed the Clow Cards. However, I would like to point out that in this story, I made them be more like spirits rather than beings in a card, so that they have more freedom to exhibit their personality, or something like that. This will be explained in future chapters. That aside, let's continue the climax (I think) of the story! **

* * *

**The Fight in the Forest**

"I…-" his sentence was cut short when he saw a lump of shadow creeping behind Sakura. "Sakura! Watch out!" said Syaoran as he dashed towards her, the shadow forming into a person, who captured Sakura and rendered her unconscious.

"Sorry to ruin the moment, Xiao Lang," said the mysterious culprit with an evil laugh as he stepped out of the darkness. "But I have come to fulfil my destiny."

**x.X.x W.O.W.x.X.x**

Syaoran watched in horror as the identity of Sakura's captor is revealed to him. He was a young bespectacled man, around his twenties, with dark hair and fair skin that seemed to glow in the moonlight. Syaoran quickly snapped out of his reverie and pulled out a pendant that later transformed into his sword, a Jian that he inherited from his family.

"You bastard, whoever you are." murmured Syaoran as his grip on his sword tightened. "Give me Sakura back!"

The opponent before him merely laughed in a leering manner, his eyes looking down on Syaoran, unfazed by the sword pointed at his direction. "Tch tch tch. Now that won't do. Let's save the fun bit for the last, why don't we?" He said as he re-positioned his glass with his index finger. "First off, it's proper manner to introduce yourself first. My name is Kyle. Kyle Rondart. I used to serve someone from your bloodline, but he's gone now, so I'm taking his stead, I suppose." He said with a smile that made it almost impossible to believe that he is one with bad intentions.

"Don't fool around with me!" said Syaoran as he charged towards Kyle, but before he can do anything, he was attacked by a power beam that came out of nowhere, but it missed him by millimetres.

"I'll have to thank you for that, Ruby Moon," said Kyle as he diverted his attention to where the beam came from, and a silhouette of a woman emerged from the dark. She was half hidden by the dark where she walked, but it became clear to Syaoran seconds after that, when he can fully see her. She was a woman with scarlet hair and ruby eyes to match, and a pair of butterfly wings on her back. She was beautiful to boot, but Syaoran can see the mischievous glint in her eyes, and feel the pressure of magic power she brings along with her. She was not an opponent to be looked down on.

"You... you were the one who bumped into Sakura at the festival..." said Syaoran as the realization dawned on him.

"Hmm?" was the response he got from the woman from Ruby Moon. "Ah, that. I'm impressed. Normally people don't get to make out the connection of my false form and my true form." She said as she ran her fingers through her flawless scarlet hair. "But that doesn't matter now. Not that we got the girl... I did tell you to be careful..." she said with a sneer as she took Sakura into her arms from Kyle. "Such a pretty face... I would want a face like tha-..." her sentence was cut short when an arrow appeared from her right side, but she managed to deflect it in time. "Oh?" she murmured as she kept her barrier up, looking for the offender. "It seems we have another guest."

A flap of wings and the identity of the archer was made known. It was Yue, though his appearance is somewhat different from his usual self. His silver hair is longer, he is dressed in a white Chinese like robe, and he had a pair of angel wings. His icy glare was directed to Ruby Moon, who smiled slightly in response to his appearance. "Nice to meet you again, my Prince." she murmured.

"I thought I told you to protect Sakura when I'm not there." said Yue in a demanding voice as he landed near Syaoran.

"I was careless. I'm sorry."

"Sorry won't be able to take her back." His voice is dripping with suppressed anger.

"He can't really do anything against me even if he tried." Kyle interjected suddenly with a sneering tone. "Now that we are all assembled, let's start the party, shall we?" he said as he put his index and middle finger on Sakura's forehead, before a lump of shadow engulfed her.

Seconds later, Sakura came out of the shadow that wrapped her, only, she was in a different clothing, with a sword in her hand. She opened her eyes, which instead of her usual cheery orbs of jade, her eyes now exhibit a kind of fazed look, and a glint that made both Syaoran and Yue stepped back in surprise.

"Now, dance for me, my doll. Don't stop until the wolf's life ends."

Sakura charged towards Syaoran with her sword, but her attack is deflected by him in time. Syaoran stood there in a defensive stance, still not believing what he is seeing.

"What did you do to Sakura?" murmured Yue as he glared at Kyle, while the fight between Sakura and Syaoran continued.

"That is not a question that you should be asking, I believe. Right, Ruby Moon?" said Kyle as he waved a hand towards the redhead. "You two must be feeling bored to just watch, right. Why don't you two get some catching up done? After all, Ruby Moon's the one who saved your life. Surely you would want to thank her for doing so." He said with a sneer. "Now enjoy yourself, Ruby, and let's taint the river red with the blood of your Prince."

Ruby Moon took flight and began attacking Yue with diamond-shaped shards. Yue dodged as he flew away from the attack. He gritted his teeth as he glared at her. "Answer me, Ruby Moon! Why do you leave me at that time, and now, after all this time, we met just so we can fight?!"

"I'm not in the position to tell anything." replied Ruby Moon as she attacked Yue more and more, as they began a fight in the air.

Syaoran, on the other hand, was beginning to be worn off from his fight with Sakura. It seemed that her energy is replenished by Kyle, and she was beginning to have the upper hand of the fight.

Syaoran dodged an incoming attack from Sakura, but she managed to scratch his left arm with the tip of her blade. "Pull yourself together, Sakura! Don't let him have his way with you!" he said as he winced from the pain of his injured left arm.

"I'm afraid she can't hear you." said Kyle in a tormenting tone, as Sakura relentlessly attacked Syaoran.

"Sakura…" Syaoran urged on, as he blocked her attack with his sword. "Sakura, you're stronger than him. Open your eyes, please, Sakura!"

Syaoran's words seemed to have an effect on her as she stepped backwards, her hand holding her forehead, swaying.

She lifted her head to see Syaoran in front of her, and she seemed to regain herself in a moment, murmuring his name. "Syao… ran…"

"Sakura!"

"I'm… sorry… Syao…ran… run away… get away… from me…" she said as she stumbled back in dizziness.

Syaoran ran towards her in worry. "Sakura… Sakura… pull yourself together!" he said as he shook her body in an effort to snap her out of her trance.

Sakura's head were pounding. She won't be able to break out of the spell any longer. Syaoran's voice is resounding in her head, but so is Kyle's. His order is only one. To kill Syaoran.

"Kill." whispered Kyle in her head.

Sakura shook her head. "No…"

"Kill him." The order is louder in her head.

"No…"

Sakura was losing this inner fight. Kill. Kill. Kill. His order is getting louder and louder in her head, and she was losing control of herself. Her body won't listen to her.

"Syaoran… kun…" she murmured as her vision blanked.

She distantly heard Yue screaming, and a clang of a sword being dropped.

"Sa… ku.. ra.." she heard Syaoran's strained voice.

**x.X.x W.O.W x.X.x**

Sakura blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice.

She felt Syaoran's ragged breath on her ear.

She felt the cold metal of the blade she was holding.

She smelt the smell of blood in the air.

She heard Yue fall to the ground.

And she heard the victorious laugh of Kyle.

Her eyes widened.

What happened?

She blinked again. And she gasped as she regained full consciousness.

She was holding Syaoran in an embrace, and the blood stained blade she held explained everything.

"No…" she murmured as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Sa… ku.. ra…" Syaoran's voice rasped in her ear, and as he lifted his body off her, he coughed. He wiped the blood that spluttered out of his mouth with what little strength he have.

His amber eyes found her jade ones.

"No… Syaoran-kun.." Sakura was sobbing now, her tears blurring her vision.

Syaoran put his right palm on her cheek, brushing away her tears.

"Don't… cry…" he said with a weak smile.

"But I…-"

"Shh." Syaoran stopped her from continuing. "I… only wanted to… tell you… I'm sorry…and…" he coughed again as his body is getting weaker.

"Sakura… no… matter what… I… love you…" he said as his vision dimmed. His body slumped forward. "I'll always love you…" he whispered in her ear as his last breath joined the wind.

"No… Syaoran-kun… don't leave me!" she screamed.

A strong gust of wind erupted suddenly from where Sakura is, blowing anyone in the vicinity away. Sakura laid Syaoran gently on the ground as she picked up her sword, dragging it as she walked towards Kyle.

Kyle stepped backwards, and before he can do anything, he was wrapped by vines that came out from the forest behind him. Sakura advanced towards him, her eyes fazed. "I won't forgive you." she murmured.

"Sakura, stop!" shouted Yue as he flew towards her, trying his hard to strain her from going any further.

And then, almost quietly and suddenly, a red arrow pierced through Kyle's chest and Kyle slumped to the ground, lifeless.

The wind around Sakura died down as Sakura snapped out of her trance, and her vision blanked out as she too, slumped to the ground as her consciousness left her.

* * *

**A/N: Another cliffy! Haha. But first I would like to apologise for any defect on this chapter, particularly on the fight scene since I'm bad at that (and for having to kill Syaoran) . But do review! ;) Your opinions are much loved and appreciated. :3**


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